Center sill reinforcement



Nav. 19, 1940. R. B. coi-TRELL @ENTER S ILL REINFORCEMENT Filed May 12,v1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l l l I ATTORNEY.

19p R. B. SHELL 2,222,148

CENTER SILL REINFORCEMENT l Filed May 12, 1939 2 Sh8etS-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,222,480 CENTER SlLL-RENFORCERIENTRobert B. Cottrell, Chicago, IIL. assigner to American Steel Foundries,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jel'll! Application May 12, 1939,Serial N0. 273,163

2z calma My invention relates to underframe structure for railway carsand more particularly to a. form of center sill structure in common usecomprising symmetrical rolled members of Z section adapted -to be weldedalong abutting edges to form a substantially integral structure ofinverted U section having laterally extending lon' gitudinal flangesalong the bottom edgesthereof. Such a center sill structure is sometimesreferred to as the backbone of theear body and at spaced pointslongitudinally thereof adjacent each end the structure is commonlyreinforced with a center ller casting and adjacent draft lugs, thecenter 1111er casting affording a seat and a means of connectionto thecenter bearing of an associated car truck.

In a co-pending application, Serial No. 197,647, iiled in the UnitedStates Patent Ofce on March 23, 1938, and issued as Patent No.2,180,799, Nov. 21, 1939, wherein I am co-inventor, such a center sillis shown as that above described. In the present application I amshowing a modied and improved form of center filler and draft lugcasting adapted to be associated with a center sill. As welding art hasdeveloped it has become practicable to use machine equipment instead ofmanually operated tools to'weld associated structural parts. In designsof center filler and draft lug castings heretofore available, vmanualwelding has been a Vnecessary part of the fabricated plan. In my presentapplication I have designed a novel form of center ller and draft lugcasting wherein all of the welding may be done along straight linesafterthe center filler and draft lug casting has been placed in positionbetween the members of the center sill. It will readily be appreciatedthat such a structure, if

sillsy as provided for gives great strength aswell as unusual economyofweight.

An object of my invention is to design a casting of the above describedcharacter capable of withstanding the heavy thrust it is normallyenbjected to in modern railway operation, while at the same. timeeliminating all manual welding from the fabricating operation.

Another object of my invention is to devise a one-piece center fillercasting with rear draft lugs integral therewith, suitable forapplicationto a centersill member by welding, in which the (ci. 10s-416) amount ofmachining required-for proper tting is reduced to a minimum. L

Yet another object of my invention is to design a one-piece integralcasting comprising a center filler and adjoining draft lugs suitable forfitting between the members of a center sill as above described andadapted to be welded in place solely by machine welding operations.

'I'hese and various other objects are accomplished in a manner moreclearly set forth in the m following description and the appended claimsin. view of the associated drawings.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of. a center sill structure incorporating myinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation'thereof. l

Figure 3 is an end view thereof,'half in section, the section beingtaken substantially in the transverse vertical plane indicated by theline 3--3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, of my novel form ofcenter filler and draft lug casting, the section being takensubstantially in the transverse horizontal plane indicated by the line4-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a section in the vertical longitudinal plane bisecting thestructure shown in Figure 4, the section being taken substantially asindicated by the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an end view taken from the left as seen in Figures 4 and 5,partly in section, the section being taken substantially in thetransverse vertical plane indicated by the line 6 8 of Figure 5.

Figure 'i is an end view taken fromthe right as seen in Figures 4 and 5,partly in section, the section being taken substantially in thetransverse `yertical plane indicated by the line 'l--l of Figure 5. y

Figures 1 to 3 show the parts in assembled relationship. It may be notedthat the car w center sill 2 is of inverted U section having the top webfl, the side webs 6, t, and the relatively thick base flanges t, 6.While such a member may be-.rolled as a single piece, a common method offorming it is by uniting by welding as at 5 i@ two Z-Shaped membersalong their abutting top edges. Within the said sill is fitted my novelform of skeletal center filler and draft lug casting ii, said castingbeing bisymmetrical in form,

having along each side a plurality of substan- 50 tially parallellongitudinal ribs designated I2, I d and it from top to bottom, each ofsaid ribs extending in a straight line from one end of the substantiallya wall structure at either side of the casting II. Joining said wallsand spaced from the lowermost of said longitudinal' ribs I6, I6 is-thebottom wall I8 having therein a plurality of lightening Aopenings 20,20, said bottom wall extending along one end of thecasting to formasubstantial means of cooperation with the center plate of an associatedtruck bolster. Extending upwardly from the bottom wall I8. and centrallythereof is the center post 22 with the central opening 23, the top ofsaid Vpost vterminating vas at 24 short of the top of said casting asbest seen in Figures 3 and 5. l,Extending bei.

tween the lateralwalls of the casting and integrally formed therewithand with the base I 8 is a single vertical transverse wall 26interrupted centrally thereof by the before-mentioned vcenter post 22and substantially at right angles to the transverse wall I6 is formedthe longitudinal wall 28- of generally triangular form having theelongated base reaching from end to end of the bottom wall I8 andtapering therefrom at either end to extend through the horizontal wall38 and merge with the center post 22 adjacent the top thereof as bestseen in the sectional View of Figure 5. The horizontal wall' 30 extendsbetween the longitudinal ribs. I4, I4 at either side of the structureintermediate the top and bottom thereof and at one side of the centerpost 22 said intermediate wall 30 is cored out to form the largelightening opening 32. Each of the longitudinal ribs I2, I4 and I6 hasformed therealong a raised machinable pad 34, said pad after machiningvbeing normally positioned in alignment with a plurality of longitudinalslots cut in the side webs 6, 6-of the sill member 2 asindicated at 3638, 40, 42, 44 and 46 (Figure 2). tudinal slots 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and46 afford openings into which welding material may be applied,

thus securing the longitudinal ribs of the casting to the webs 6, 6 ofthe center sill insuch manner 1 6 of the sill when placed in position,said spacing being best seen at 48, 48 in Figure 3. The bottomlongitudinal edges of the casting I2 are formed with radii as best seenat 52, 52 (Figure 3), thus affording additional Welding area alongstraight longitudinal lines if desired.

It may be noted that the draft stops at the left of the casting asviewed in Figures 1 and 2 are so positioned as to be centrally locatedalong the web 6, 6 at either side of the center siii and are spaced fromthe top'and bottom of the sill. The base wall of the casting I8 extendsalong only that portion thereof which forms an abutment for the bodycenter bearing or center plate. The detail of the center fLller anddraft lug casting is shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and '7. Porl tions thereofhave already been referred to and particularly the bottom wall I8, thecenter post 22, thetransverse vertical wall 26, the central longitudinalrib or wall 28, theintermediate horizontal wall 30, the longitudinalribs I2, I4 and I6 at each side thereof, the openings 20, 20 cored outof the bottom wall I8, and the large openwith respect to the ribs iswell seen atV 48, 48 in The longiing 32 cored out of the intermediatewall 3l). 'Ihe transverse wall 26 h'as openings 54 cored therein betweenthe bottom wall I8 and intermediate wall 30, and the longitudinal rib orwall 28 has openings 56 cored therein adjacent `the bottom of the centerpost 22. spaced webs at the ends ofv the casting-f adilat :intermediatepoints join the spaced longitudinal ribs I2, I4 and I6 and the base ofthe casting as indicated at 458, 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 with-relativelylarge '#elon'gated'openings cored therein as indicated ,4 at 10, III(Figure l The manner in which the webs between the'` longitudinal ribsare relieved.

theend view of Figure 6. By this arrangement I have made it possible forone machining operation to trim olf the pads at each side of the castingwith a minimum of work to lit said casting between the webs 6, 6 of thecenter v'sill for the welding operation. f

'I'he longitudinalV ribs rare widened laterally of the casting adjacentthe draft stopas ybest seen atlz, 12 (Figurefl) anda reinforcingvertical rib '14 extends between the opposite draft stop portions atthe'adjacent end of the inter; mediate wall 30, said rib "I4 beingwidened vertically at its endsl to merge with each Aof the lon'gitudinal ribs and narrowed intermediate its ends to lighten thecasting. The rib 14 is spaced somewhat from the stops 58 at the end ofthe casting and its juncture with the intermediate 'rib I4 is reinforcedby the horizontal gusset 16.

It is to be understood that I do'not wish to be limited by the exactembodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustrationand not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, ofcourse, be' apparent to those skilled in the art without departing-fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: f

1. 1n a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section and areinforcing center ller and draft lug casting therein comprising aplurality of spaced longitudinal ribs spaced from the bottom wallthereof and aligned with longitudinal openings in the vertical webs ofsaid sill, whereby said ribs may be welded to said sills in parallellongitudinal lines, said casting comprising a cenlr` ter filler portionanda draft stop portion, said center 'filler portion including atransverse vertical wall and a longitudinal vertical wall substantiallyat right vangles to each other and in`- terrupted intermediatetheir ends by a center post, and an intermediate horizontal wallextending between parallel ribs at opposite sides of said castingintermediate the ends of said center post, said intermediate wallextending through said center filler portion and into saidvdraft lugportion, and a transverse vertical web at the end of said intermediatewall joining opposite sides of said draft lug portion.

2. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section and areinforcing center ller and draft lug casting therein comprising vaplurality of parallel ribs at opposite sides of said castinglintermediate the ends of said center post.

3. In a railway car underframe, a center sill of inverted U sectionhaving a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal .openings in thelateral webs thereof and reinforcing means therein in the form of anintegral skeletal casting havingat each side thereof. a plurality ofspaced parallel ribs each in alignment with a plurality of saidplurality of vertical walls arranged at right an-v gles to each otherand interrupted at their intersection by a center post, one of saidvertical walls tapering from the ends of one of said horizontal wallsthrough the other thereof to the top of said center post.

4. In a railway car underframe, a center sill of inverted U sectionhaving a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal openings in thelateral webs thereof and reinforcing means therein in the form of anintegral skeletal casting having at each side thereof a plurality ofspaced parallel -ribs each in alignment with a plurality of saidopenings and weldable therethrough along parallel longitudinal straightlines, said casting comprising a center ller portion and a draft lugportion, said draft lug portion being arranged along the vertical websof said sill and spaced from the top and-'bottom thereof, and saidcenter sill portion comprising a bottomwall aligned with the bottomedges of said sill and a center post centrally arranged with respect tosaid bottom wall.

5. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section and areinforcing center filler and draft lug casting therein comprising aplurality of spaced longitudinal ribs spaced from the bottom wallthereof and aligned with longitudinal openings in the vertical webs ofsaid sill, whereby said ribs may be welded to said sills in parallellongitudinal lines, said casting comprising a bottom wall, a centerpost, a transverse wall extending between certain of lsaid ribs andinterrupted by said center post, and a central longitudinal walltapering from adjacent the ends of said base to the top of said centerpost and spaced fromI nal walls arranged substantially at right anglesto each other and interrupted centrally of said casting by a centerpost, said longitudinal wall tapering from adjacent said base to the topof said center post and terminating short of the top of said casting,said lateral walls being normally spaced from the walls of said sill,whereby said ribs may be machined to afford a close t with the walls ofsaid sill for welding thereto through said openings.

7. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section, a reinforcingcenter filler and draft lug casting therein in the form of a skeletalcasting having along each side a plurality of spaced parallel pads eachaligned with a plurality of openings in said sill, whereby said castingmay be welded to said sill through said openings, said castingcomprising an intermediate horizontal wall and an intermediate verticalwall arranged substantially at right angles `to each other andinterrupted centrally of said casting by a center post, said verticalwall tapering downwardly from the top of said center post to spacedpoints on opposite sides thereof adjacent the base oi said casting, eachside of said casting being afforded a tapering end portion adapted toaccommodatesuccessive termination of said pads and so afford a graduallydiminishing section-modulus when welded to said sill. y

8. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section, a reinforcingcenter filler and draft lug casting therein in the form of a. skeletalcasting having along each side a plurality of spaced parallel pads eachaligned with a plurality of openings in said sill whereby said castingmaybe welded to said sillthrough said openings, said casting comprisingan intermediate horizontal wall and an intermediate vertical wallarranged substantially at right angles to each other and interruptedcentrally of said casting by-a center post, said horizontal wall lyingin the same plane as certain of said pads at opposite sides ofv saidcasting, each side of saidfcasting being afforded a tapering end portionadapted to accommodate successive termination of said pads and so afforda gradually diminishing section-modulus when. weldedto said sill.

9. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section and areinforcing center filler and i -of spaced longitudinal ribs spaced fromthe bottom wall thereof andaligned with longitudinal openings in thevertical webs of said sill, whereby said ribs may be welded to saidsills in parallel longitudinal lines, said casting comprising verticaltransverse and longitudinal walls interrupted lby a center post, saidlongitudinal wall tapering fromadjacent the ends of the base of thecasting to the top of said center post, each side of said casting beingafforded a tapering end portion adapted to accommodate successivetermination of said ribs and so afford a gradually diminishingsection-modulus when welded to said sill.

10. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section, a reinforcingcenter ller and draft lug casting therein in the form of a skeletalcasting having along each side a plurality of spaced parallel pads eachaligned with a plurality of openings in said sill, whereby said castingmay be welded to said sill through said openings, said castingcomprising an intermediate horizontal wall and an intermediate verticalwall arranged substantially at right angles to each other and'interrupted centrally of said casting by a center post, each side ofsaid casting being afforded a tapering end portion adapted toaccommodate successive termination of said pads and so af-` fordv agradually diminishing section-modulus when welded to said sill.

11. In a car underframe, a center sill of -inverted U section havingspaced parallel slots, reinforcing means in said sill in the form of anintegral skeletal casting comprising spaced parallel ribs at oppositesides thereof in alignment with said slots and weldable therethrough,said casting also comprising a bottom wall spaced `from said ribs and avertical longitudinal intermediate wall interrupted centrally thereof bya center post, said intermediate wall tapering from the ends of the baseof said casting to the top of said center post, each side of saidcasting being afforded a tapering end portion adapted to accommodatesuccessive termination of said ribs and so afford a graduallydiminishing secintegral skeletal casting comprising spaced parallel ribsat opposite sides thereof in alignment with said slots and weldabletherethrough, said castingr also comprising spaced horizontal walls anda vertical longitudinal wall intermediate the sides thereof,lsaidvertical wall tapering from adjacent the ends of one of said horizontalwalls through the other of said horizontal walls to adjacent the top ofsaid casting, one of said horizontal walls -extending betweencorresponding intermediate ribs at opposite sides of said casting.

13. In a railway car, a center sill of inverted U section and areinforcing center ller and draft lug casting therein comprising aplurality of spaced longitudinal ribs spaced from the bottom wallthereof and aligned with longitudinal openings in the vertical webs ofsaid sill, Whereby said ribs may be welded to said sills in parallellongitudinal lines, said casting comprising a bottom wall, a centerpost, atransverse wall extending between certain of said ribs andinterrupted by said center post, and'a central longitudinal walltapering from adjacent the ends of said base to the-top of said centerpost, each of said ribs extending substantially from end to end of saidcasting for welding through said openings.

14. In a car underframe, a center sill of in-v verted U section havingspaced parallel slots, reinforcing means in said sill in the form of anintegral skeletal casting comprising spaced parallel ribs at oppositesides thereof in alignment with said slots and weldable therethrough,said casting also comprising bottom and intermediate horizontal walls,transverse and longitudinal vertical walls, and a center postinterrupting all of said walls centrally of said casting,saidintermediate horizontal wall extending directly betweencorresponding intermediate ribs at opposite sides of said casting.

15. In a carunderframe, a center sill of inverted `U section havingspaced parallel slots, reinforcing/means in said sill in the form of anintegral skeletal casting comprising spaced parallel ribs atoppositesides thereof in alignment with said slots and weldable therethrough,said casting also comprising bottom and intermediate horizontal walls,transverse and longitudinal vertical walls, and a center postinterrupting all of said walls centrally of said casting, saidlongitudinal vertical wall tapering from the ends of said bottom wall tothe top of said center post, each of said ribs extending substantiallyfrom yend to end of said casting for straight line welding through saidslots.

16. In a railway car underframe, a center sill of inverted U sectionhaving a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal openings in thelateral webs thereof and reinforcing means therein in the form of anintegral skeletal casting havingat each side thereof a plurality ofspaced parallel ribs in alignment with said openings and weldabletherethrough, whereby said casting may be welded in said sill alongparallel straight lines, each of said ribs extending substantially fromend to end of said casting, and an intermediate horizontal wallextending transversely with said casting and directly betweencorresponding ribs at opposite sides thereof.

- 17. In a railway car underframe, a'center sill of inverted U sectionhaving a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal openings in thelateral webs thereof and reinforcing means therein in the form of anintegral skeletal casting having at each side thereof a plurality ofspaced parallel ribs each in alignment'with c'ertain of said openingsand weldable therethrough, the lateral Walls of said casting beingnormally spaced from the Walls of said sill, whereby said welded ribsmay afford the sole means of connecting'said casting to said sill.

18. In a car underframe, a center sill of inverted U section havingspaced parallel slots, reinforcing means in'said sill in the form of anintegral skeletal casting comprising spaced parallel ribs atoppositesides thereof'in alignment with said slots and Weldabletherethrough, said casting also comprising a bottom wall and atransverse wall, said transverse wall extending through said castingdirectly between intermediate ribs at opposite sides thereof, the sidedraft lug casting therein comprising a plurality vof spaced longitudinalribs spaced from the bottom wall thereof and aligned with longitudinalopenings in the vertical webs of said sill, whereby said ribs may bewelded to said sills in parallel longitudinal lines, the lateral wallsof said casting being normally spaced from the walls of said sill,whereby said Welded ribs may afford the sole means of connecting saidcasting to said sill.

20. In a railway car underframe, a center sill of` inverted U sectionand reinforcing means therein in the form of an integral skeletalcasting comprising a center post, spaced longitudinal ribs at oppositesides thereof in alignment with openings in said sills and weldabletherethrough, and a transverse Wall extending between certain of saidribs, the side walls of said casting being spaced from the Webs of saidsill, 'r

whereby said welded ribs form ther sole means of connection between saidsill and said casting.

2l. In an underframe, a center sill having spaced side webs withparallel longitudinal slots, and an integral draft lug and center fillercasting secured therebetween, said casting having side walls spaced fromsaid webs and parallel longitudinal ribs therealong in alignment withsaid slots for welding therethrough, said' welding along parallellongitudinal lines affording the ,sole means of connection between saidsill and said casting.

, 22. In an underframe, a sill having spaced side webs with longitudinalslots, and a reinforcing integral skeletal casting therebetweengsaidcasting having -side walls spaced fromV said webs, Y

